[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

When I compare a Versys

One interesting aspect about the recent group buy (of which I know the use case of Karthik, his friend, Snehal who has disclosed his scenario earlier in the thread and my friend who is taking delivery this week) is that none of them got into this comparison too much.

My friend was the one who went closest to confusing himself a lot with the Versys 650 (and also others like the 310GS, 390 Adventure, CB650R, Trident 660, upcoming Tiger Sport 660, etc - being a first time buyer) - but even for him, the Versys was a bit too much! He felt very confident on the CB500X like it was a natural progression from his Pulsar 220, but a bit overwhelmed on the heavy and torquey Versys. He couldn't see himself riding a KTM, nor did he feel confident about the reliability of a 310GS! He was extremely confused ONLY because of the value proposition of the Versys (and others like the Trident 660 and even the otherwise-highly priced CB650R) compared to the highly-overpriced CB500X, despite me reminding him many times not to take such decisions with the head. The price correction surely came at the right time for him.

KarthikK had my Versys in his garage for almost a full year - so he was well aware of what he wanted from his upgrade. To put it in his own words - 'Versys 650 is a small 'big bike', whereas the CB500X is a big 'small bike'. Wise man he is!

The only reason both got placed together is due to Honda's pricing in India - which has been somewhat corrected now. The question is more on the likes of whether one is willing to pay a premium over the 390 Adventure - for all the additional goodness the CB brings in, and at the new price - more people will be willing to pay the extra!

If one is looking to upgrade to a 'big bike' - get the Versys (outdated now) or Vstrom instead!

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

On a lighter note, the CB still looks small for your chassis. Enjoy.

Have mentioned his earlier, and the statement still stands. The one bike that suits him , but not his use case of a smaller (He has the Ninja anyways for bigger thrills!) bike to ride care-free -

[rhsakarp]

Many congratulations on the awesome ride @KarthikK !

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Congratulations on adding this to your garage. However I still strongly believe that you still have room for one more to be added to your garage. You cannot go wrong with it at all.

Nice Garage
K Ninja for all your touring on well paved roads
H CB 500X for all those touring on B Roads, Rough Roads.

Possibly another bike for your trail riding and I believe you know what am hinting at.

Looking forward to riding with you one of these days

Thanks a lot ku69rd and your review helped in providing quite a bit of information on the bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1HeEJPXYT4

Definitely will look forward to catching up very soon, and we can discuss all your trail riding adventures

Originally Posted by bj96

Excellent compilation Karthik .

Couple of points, however, I think are missing. Not that it will change the standing but, just to make it complete:

Cost: 500x = Interceptor + Himalayan

Ah yes, that isn't really an apples to apples comparison, more of how I exchanged an apple AND an orange for a muskmelon . Jokes apart, it was more of a consolidation package than an outright upgrade, so a very specific thing to my own requirement. Otherwise these 3 products may never overlap considering the price difference as you rightly pointed out.

Personally, I like a multi-bike garage. Therefore, I ended up four two wheelers (Electra, Jupiter, Fat Boy, Yezdi Adv) for the price of one BMW GSA and I fee happier. Different tools for different occasions plus more bikes to tinker (DIY) with on idle weekends .

That's how I used to think too, up until this year, haha!
Now due to a reduced usage pattern than before, I found a 2-bike touring specific garage seems better for my current needs (urban usage is almost gone now after pandemic era). Your garage is awesome and well-rounded!

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

KarthikK had my Versys in his garage for almost a full year - so he was well aware of what he wanted from his upgrade. To put it in his own words - 'Versys 650 is a small 'big bike', whereas the CB500X is a big 'small bike'. Wise man he is!

I believe that statement was originally said by stalwart neil.jericho and I think he is absolutely right. The CB is like a grown up version of a beginner adv. While the Versys needs proper taming skills from day 1 and not something one can directly hop on and expect to manhandle the weight (and the extra power which needs to be treated with more respect)

The only reason both got placed together is due to Honda's pricing in India - which has been somewhat corrected now. The question is more on the likes of whether one is willing to pay a premium over the 390 Adventure - for all the additional goodness the CB brings in, and at the new price - more people will be willing to pay the extra!

If one is looking to upgrade to a 'big bike' - get the Versys (outdated now) or Vstrom instead!

Very well said. If not for the price territory overlap (until the revision now), these two are not directly comparable except for the fact that they are both parallel twin advs from the Jap brigade. The CB500X is more an A2 adventure bike meant to be basic and beginner friendly, everything nice about it (pros that we harp about) is actually making life easy for a transitioning rider, nothing is intimidating. Easy power delivery, mature suspension and sorted ergonomics. Specs-wise it is more comparable to a 390 Adv, but for the ckd pricing and Honda's premium over and above that.

The Versys on the other hand is almost 40-50% more powerful and torquey, has a bigger motor, weighs more and feels quite a handful in city speeds due to the top-heavy weight and the jumpy torque. Of course, it is also built like a tank too and has a proper premium bike feel through and through. I am not even bringing in the service and spares cost differences because that is anyway known. If one wants a proper big bike feel and is largely using on well paved roads, I believe the Versys makes a very strong case as a primarily road biased tourer.

Originally Posted by rhsakarp

Many congratulations on the awesome ride @KarthikK !

Thanks a lot rhsakarp!

[VijayAnand1]

Sensible choice. Honda did create a watershed moment with the price factor and it did help them to clear the stocks pretty faster. CB500X in my opinion is better than the Himalayan and Interceptor in every way possible. A tractable motor with excellent stance, by no means a compact willie. The bike has a commanding stance, and can be mistaken for an Africa Twin to the untrained eye. Everything about this bike is practical, usable and reliable.

In short, congratulations on a choice well done. Sensible, again!

Cheers!
VJ

[Zangetsu]

While the keyboard clacking is true, the lack of interest is also fueled by competition. Versys 650 and Vstorm 650 are much better packages IMHO, which also end up being slightly(but rightly) more expensive.

For the kind of power the engine makes for a 500cc, i think you're better off buying a 390 adv. similar power figures, very light and far more inexpensive than the CB

With the size and weight and power, i think dual front discs is a no-brainer?

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Just putting forward my thoughts in the form of a table which listed all aspects I evaluated the three bikes on, and it is quite evident on how the CB500X scores on almost every parameter that the other two falter on. Of course, it costs twice as much, but I sold both the RE bikes and traded the Interceptor and the Himalayan for one CB500X, so the delta amount didn't pinch all that much financially .
Attachment 2277241

Lovely post and many congratulations. You have put some ideas into my head. I have a D390 and a Himalayan and I use them both exactly the way you use them.

I was looking at your comparision between the 3 bikes and it looked exactly the way I would compare the D390 and the Himalayan to the Honda CB500X.

I love them both; different bikes for different moods / different purposes. However, if I were looking for just one motorcycle - I would look at buying the CB500 X myself. Just cant seem to bear the thought of parting with the current steeds as I love them

Loved your thoughts and many congratulations once again.

[bf1983]

Originally Posted by Zangetsu

While the keyboard clacking is true, the lack of interest is also fueled by competition. Versys 650 and Vstorm 650 are much better packages IMHO, which also end up being slightly(but rightly) more expensive.

For the kind of power the engine makes for a 500cc, i think you're better off buying a 390 adv. similar power figures, very light and far more inexpensive than the CB

With the size and weight and power, i think dual front discs is a no-brainer?

While I largely agree with your points I do differ slightly with some of them. First off the Versys is a good competitor but it's massive size is a deterrent for sure as the Honda is lighter and more manageable to use. The Suzuki VStorm is a LOT more expensive than the Honda. Even though I am 6 ft I found the Versys to be a real handful to move around while stationary. The Honda being lighter and narrower it was relatively easy to maneuver and it can be a daily rider unlike the Versys.

The KTM Adventure is for sure the biggest real competitor to the Honda but let's face it KTM isn't in the same league in terms of fit and finish. I have ridden the KTM Adventure for a few hundred kms and while I was largely happy with the bike my biggest bug bear was the serious lack of low down torque. Whenever I reached near zero speeds the bike would struggle to take off easily especially when the bike was loaded. Was quite frustrating to experience that. Second the bike is a single cylinder and I was not happy with the vibes present. Lastly the extremely high seat height of 855mm is a bit much for the average rider.

The Honda CB500x negates most of my biggest pain points of the Adventure 390 namely good low down torque, much better smoother refined engine and a more manageable seat height. Of course the price difference is a bit much but IMO the Honda is a superior bike in almost all aspects and worth paying extra if you really value the advantages it offers over the KTM.

[nasirkaka]

Yesterday, Went to the Honda bigwing, lavelle road, to check out the Cb500x and possibly test ride it. I have never seen one up close, and with the revised pricing, it does incite and lure at some level. One line of thought being trade the interceptor and 310GS combined with 500X. Club it with xpulse and garage is covered for most usage.
However, i am not sure if to my good or bad luck, CB500X is sold out in Karnataka. No Red, No Black. Nothing is available. Next lot would be the updated model and prices would most likely go back to more or less what it was initially. I decided not to test ride the bike, What incase if i really like it. (also the test ride bike had gone somewhere was not immediately available).

I am the latest one to bite the bullet and opt for this lovely product from Honda after a couple of test rides convinced me about the product matching all my needs, and the price correction convinced me it was okay to go ahead with the decision financially. Although I wouldn't have minded another lac of price correction, I don't believe that will happen given Honda's ways of pricing .

Big congratulations!!
I can totally relate to your line of thoughts, as i have been sailing in similar waters. The comparison table which you have made is very apt and valuable, and we all have been waiting for a bike that can combine duties of interceptor and himalayan, or in mycase, interceptor and 310GS. I have said on multiple threads, give me interceptor engine, gearbox and brakes on 310GS and i will not ask for another bike.

I have spent much effort trying to make interceptor a more versatile bike and have achieved good results on many factors, which i will try and list down next to your list, just so that i do not feel too bad (sour grapes).

On a serious note, with all these mods, i have been enjoying riding the interceptor these days on good roads, and look forward to bad and ugly roads. With a good rear suspension, it would be quite a complete bike. And its one of the main reasons, i was not too drawn towards the CB500X as buying these imported bikes is one thing, living with it is another.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

However, i am not sure if to my good or bad luck, CB500X is sold out in Karnataka. No Red, No Black. Nothing is available.

I am told that the Honda CB500X is sold out in the Cochin showroom as well. A Cochin based customer wanted one and eventually had to book his bike at the Trivandrum showroom, where there was a bike that was available.

It looks like the price correction from Honda has helped them slowly sell the existing stocks of the CB500X.

Another benefit of the price correction is that some riders who would never have considered the Honda before, are now eagerly looking forward to the 2022 model.

[swiftnfurious]

I was out riding today and passed a Big Wing. Stopped to see if they had a TR for 500x, was unfortunately out for some event, but they had a brand new bike in inventory which was booked by a customer.

Sat on it and it felt very light compared to a Versys 650. The SA mentioned he's expecting the 2022 version by end of April and an assumption that it may be 30-40K more expensive than current version.

As per him, the power doesn't feel like a 500cc and over-all features made no sense at pre-discount prices. He also feels that Honda may not price it back at the 1L premium as they seem to have understood the pricing fiasco.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

.., mature suspension and sorted ergonomics. Specs-wise it is more comparable to a 390 Adv, but for the ckd pricing and Honda's premium over and above that...!

Originally Posted by Snehal Sekhar

Shibumi Comes Home

Now to start clocking in miles on Shibumi.

Hello - hope both you have had some long rides on the bike. I was looking at some reviews and those mentioned the seats get uncomfortable after an hour or two of riding. Would like to know from both of you on this apsect.

Originally Posted by KarthikK

..

You had the Versys 650 for sometime - any quick comparo between both ?

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Hello - hope both you have had some long rides on the bike. I was looking at some reviews and those mentioned the seats get uncomfortable after an hour or two of riding. Would like to know from both of you on this apsect.

I didn't feel anything uncomfortable about the seats even after 3 hours of riding in a single stretch, which is probably the max I have done at a stretch so far (just short rides for now since for my better half and me, our proper touring season begins in May or June every year when the monsoons set in). I'll update here after I do some more long rides.

Doesn't seem to be as much of a bother as even the Interceptor's or Himalayan's touring seats weren't too firm to begin with for me, and I was touring long distances even with those.

You had the Versys 650 for sometime - any quick comparo between both ?

The Versys 650 is a bigger, heavier and more powerful bike so I wouldn't want to directly compare the CB500X against the Versys 650. But for the sake of this question,

- The Versys is more top heavy and needs more careful, respectful riding especially on broken patches and tight traffic gaps. The Honda feels more commuter-ish light and flickable even in traffic

- The Versys runs hotter than the CB500X and the heat is perceptible in the city traffic. The CB500X feels like an air cooled commuter bike and there is no perceptible heat even in the worst of traffic jams. Doesn't feel any different from your regular Pulsar or Hornet for eg.

- No prizes for guessing which one has more road presence and gets
attention - Versys wins hands down. The CB500X is more of a sleeper and can pass off as any other commuter bike if it doesn't have too many visible accessories sticking out. A friend who also got this bike jokingly refers to it as a Honda Unicorn on steroids .

- Versys 650 low end power delivery is a bit jumpy and not the smoothest transition in the city. However on open roads it compensates with a never-ending pull at highway speeds, those extra 21 horses show up nicely at the slightest twist of the throttle. The CB500X is more tractable and pulls cleanly even at lower speeds and higher gears without feeling like it is lugging, no jumpy power delivery. Acceleration in the zones beyond 3 digits is obviously a bit lesser than the V650, but both can comfortably do 110-120 all day long and still have some juice left for quick overtakes, the Versys even more effortlessly so.

- The posture is a bit more upright on the Versys and the legs feel less rear-set than on the CB, seat height is also a tad bit higher if I remember correctly.

- Versys 650 instrumentation does miss a few critical items like gear indicator, temperature gauge and FE stats, etc while the CB cluster has tons of information. I am told the current Versys added a few things later but the console is still dated (I rode CrAzY_dRiVeR's V650 which is a 2016 model).

- The Versys is more road-biased than the CB500X, the tyre setup also says and does the same thing (19" front vs 17" front).

I won't get into the service or spares battle because both are bulletproof Japs with the Versys body panels and parts costing more than those on the CB. That said, while both products feel well built, the Versys panels feel more solidly built like a tank through and through. Needless to say, this will translate to costlier spares if there is some unfortunate incident.

All in all, get the Versys if you want a big bike feel and more power thrills for the open stretches and you don't care much about offroad stretches. There is hardly anything wrong with the Versys except that it is outdated and long overdue for a generation change.

Get the CB500X if you are aware of (or have been part of) the pitfalls of the big bike world and want an economical (easy to maintain and run) allrounder in a wonderful A2 package which ticks many boxes and is way more usable in a wider range of scenarios (from shopping for groceries in your neighbourhood to office commutes to weekend rides to heading out to Spiti). The compromise will be the reduced power output compared to Versys. As bhpian neil.jericho put it rightly, the CB500X is a big small bike while the Versys will be a small big bike.

[Sebring]

You're so right there. Even I mistook the 200 for the 500

Originally Posted by KarthikK

No prizes for guessing which one has more road presence and gets attention - Versys wins hands down. The CB500X is more of a sleeper and can pass off as any other commuter bike if it doesn't have too many visible accessories sticking out. A friend who also got this bike jokingly refers to it as a Honda Unicorn on steroids

[Snehal Sekhar]

[quote]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Hello - hope both you have had some long rides on the bike. I was looking at some reviews and those mentioned the seats get uncomfortable after an hour or two of riding. Would like to know from both of you on this apsect.

Coming from a Street 750 and the i650, the CB500X's seat feels much more comfortable. I've done a 500 km ride with just one break on the 500X and didn't feel my butt getting numb. Every time I feel my butt going sore, like 200-250 kms into the ride, I ride standing on the foot pegs and continue my ride. I definitely feel I can travel longer distances with minimal breaks on the 500X compared to the bikes I have ridden earlier. The standing and riding the bike occasionally bit breaks the monotony of sitting for so long on the saddle and helps me in covering longer distances with fewer breaks.

[Snehal Sekhar]

Originally Posted by Sebring

You're so right there. Even I mistook the 200 for the 500

Oh how I like that saree guard on the CB200X. Is that an aftermarket accessory or an OEM fitting? The saree guard on the 500X looks ridiculous. Why couldn't they get something like this for the 500X as well? I'm keeping the saree guard on my bike until I buy saddle stays. Need someplace to tie my saddle bags to and this will serve the purpose until I can afford to buy the Givi saddle stays.